Tank batteries or tank farms servicing an oil field may include a heating element, such as a heater treater, for separating fluids extracted from an oil well. The heater treater may include a fire tube, or other heating element, for supplying heat to the heater treater and the contents thereof.
A fire tube may require periodic cleaning, maintenance, or replacement. These activities typically require removal of the fire tube. However, fire tubes are typically very heavy, such as 800 pounds or more, and can be difficult to access within the heater treater. Some fire tubes may also have delicate coatings for use in corrosive environments. These and other factors can make extraction, insertion, and positioning of a fire tube difficult to perform in a safe manner and without damage to the fire tube. Many injuries occur each year to oil field service workers when servicing the fire tube as a result of fingers or hands being pinched by the fire tube and heater treater in which the fire tube resides. Thus, improvements to devices, systems, and methods for the positioning or manipulation of a fire tube relative to a heater treater may be desirable.